Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Cortez Gonzales.
Michelle, before we jump into specific questions about your art, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a blue-collar Mexican-American neighborhood made up of steelworkers, in the Worth Heights Neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas. I was surrounded by rich history and culture, but these experiences and stories were never discussed or shared with younger generations such as myself. At an early age, I became hungry for history and to know more about my heritage. I remember rummaging through family photo albums and admiring the figures I would find from decades past. I collected photographs and other little trinkets, and imagined stories about their existence or their connection to me. Museums were not places we often went as children, so these remnants became the first forms of artwork I experienced. In the beginning, I thought photography was going to be my route, but I quickly found that painting was the best way for me to communicate and investigate my interest in history rooted in memory.
After receiving my BFA in studio art from the University of Texas at Arlington, I worked with the Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, where I was fortunate to be in the midst of many great art discussions with professional public artists, community members, and city officials, whom all inspired and showed me how impactful art can be and the capacity it has to bring people together. This experience motivated me to seriously develop my own practice and to help others tap into their own artistic abilities. This passion was fueled by a piece of advice my undergrad painting professor shared with me years ago, “In order to be a better artist, you must learn to teach others.” I took her words to heart, and taught art at Polytechnic High School. I loved every minute of teaching, and it is an experience that has left its mark on me forever. Obtaining my master’s degree was always the goal, so after my daughter graduated from college, I decided it was time. Now, here I am with my MFA degree and eagerly looking forward to the next thing.
Has it been a smooth road?
Let’s see, I had my daughter at an early age, raised her as a single mom for most of her younger years, managed to finish high school, get my BFA, and changed my career a couple of times. The road has definitely not been smooth, but nothing worth the time ever is. Things don’t always go as planned, but if there is anything I’ve learned, it’s that you just got to keep moving through changes, and take risks. Most importantly, you have to keep a good group of people behind you. My husband is an artist as well, and we always have each other’s backs. I’m also thankful to have some great organizations and people in Fort Worth, such as Art Tooth and Near Southside Inc. that provide so many opportunities to artists like myself. I believe artists are resilient and imaginative. We always find ways to make it work. The most important thing to know is that it will. Things always work out when you’re hungry.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I am predominantly known as a painter, but working with my hands is an important part of my process, and many of my paintings incorporate sculpture and installation. My work comes from many different places, specifically, it examines how memory is altered, preserved, and recreated through domestic materials. My paintings are constructed from fabric, thread, and other found and made objects. They are juxtaposed with painted imagery sourced from all of the old photographs I have collected over the years. I sew, stretch, build, and paint as an important gesture of healing past relationships and connecting to my history through memory. I like tricking the eye with what is painted and what isn’t, there’s an ambiguous nature to my work that is quite similar to the nature of remembering something; it constantly changes and shifts. Materials are often connected to our personal experiences and have the ability to transport us somewhere. I want the viewer to experience that nostalgia, and the fragmentation of memory, which can push us back and forth between reality and illusion. I have recently been approaching my compositions with materials that extend outside the boundaries of the paintings, allowing them to straddle the edge of becoming object.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Any place is a good place for an artist. The world is so global, especially now, during the pandemic we are experiencing today. Could the city of Fort Worth use more arts funding? Absolutely. Could there be more galleries and art collectors here? Well, yeah. Should there be more representation and diversity within the art world for POC artists and art administrators? Now that is a huge problem the city could do much better in. There is great diversity in Fort Worth, but that diversity is not reflected within all of our wonderful museums and other art organizations.
Like I said before, artists know how to make things work for themselves and their communities. Fort Worth exemplifies this in so many ways. Our beautiful eclectic city is bursting with grassroots artists and collectives that are unifying and beautifying through their own projects. I am inspired by this and feel like it makes this place a great environment for others to start out. But the professional art world and our education system could do much better to reach out and partner with POC creatives and students to provide more programs and opportunities. With today’s climate, I’m hoping these companies/ organizations are being pushed to have these important discussions.
Contact Info:
- Website: michellecgonzales.com
- Email: michellecgonzales@live.com
- Instagram: @_chellecg_
Image Credit:
Michelle C Gonzales
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